Dee Margetts

Senator for Western Australia

GWA, 1993–1999

A former coordinator for People for Nuclear Disarmament, Dee Margetts was elected to the Senate for Western Australia as a member of the Greens (Western Australia) in 1993.

Her participation in the Senate select committees on the dangers of radioactive waste and on practices in the uranium mining and milling industry illustrated her commitment to nuclear issues and was further supported by her regular appeals in Parliament for Australia to cease uranium exports and withdraw from the nuclear fuel cycle.

Senator Margetts frequently spoke about the impact of government decisions on the environment and the lives of indigenous people. She opposed the Hindmarsh Island Bridge Bill, which sought to override the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Heritage Protection Act 1984, and resisted legislation to amend the Native Title Act.

Margetts argued that it was necessary to integrate ecological sustainability with economic, regional and industry policy and raised concerns about the effects of globalisation on Australia’s primary resources, trade and investment.

After leaving the Senate in 1999 she was elected to the WA Legislative Council (2001–05) and undertook postgraduate research on national competition policy.